INNISFAIL – It was on Valentine’s Day in 1976 that John Syroid first signed up to be a firefighter for the Innisfail Fire Department.
And he remembers it just like it happened yesterday.
Syroid, now 73 years young and still serving the town as a volunteer firefighter, recalled going to the old fire hall for an interview. When he came through the door he was met by Del Fehr, the fire chief of the day.
“He handed me firefighting gear and said, ‘now you are a firefighter’, so I took it from there,” said Syroid with a chuckle.
Just over 45 years later, Syroid received a phone call on the morning of March 1 from firefighting colleague, Clark Maldaner, the fire department’s assistant deputy chief, who told him, ‘put your tunic on. I am going to pick you up in 45 minutes'.
“I had no idea what was going on,” said Syroid. “When he got here there was seven emergency vehicles out front. I couldn’t believe it. It was just unbelievable, so incredible. I got into the 1929 Chev fire truck with Clark Maldaner and followed the new 2019 fire truck to Main Street.”
The ride along on Main Street in the vintage 1929 fire truck, which was joined by other current firefighters, as well as RCMP, local EMS and community peace officers, was to celebrate a true Innisfail hero, a man who dedicated 45 years to the community, volunteering countless hours at any time of day and night, and every one of them to ensure the safety and lives of his fellow Innisfailians.
“John is a consummate professional. He still serves the community as a firefighter and brings 45 years’ experience and knowledge to the table,” said current chief Gary Leith who was part of the celebration.
“He is still as asset to the department. We will see how long John chooses to keep going.”
In later firefighting years, Syroid, who moved to Innisfail from Bassano in 1969, became Innisfail’s last part-time fire chief, serving in that capacity from 2003 to 2013. From then on, the Innisfail Fire Department has been headed by a fulltime fire chief, including Leith.
“I enjoyed the fire department so much. I enjoy the work. It’s good community service. I just felt I had something to contribute,” said Syroid, adding the multitude of firefighting advances and changes over the years has suited him just fine.
“It has just been great. Everybody needs to have changes and keep up with the changes, so it’s been great.”
Following the convoy ride on Main Street, Syroid was taken to the fire hall where heartfelt presentations were made, along with plenty of cupcakes and coffee.
With Innisfail Mayor Jim Romane and Todd Becker, the town’s chief administrative officer, joining the celebration, the Town of Innisfail and the fire department presented him with an honorary fire axe, a certificate of recognition, and because Red Deer County is also served by local firefighters, a plaque of appreciation was presented by Dave Laurin, the rural municipality’s fire chief.
“I felt grateful, really grateful,” said Syroid of the celebration, especially the honour of riding in a 92-year-old fire truck that once saw many firefighting missions in town and is now preserved at the Innisfail and District Historical Village.
“Who gets to ride in a 1929 fire truck behind a brand new 2019 fire truck?’’’ said Syroid. “It just doesn’t happen. It is so incredible.”
